Adventist Church in Colombia Braces for Massive Evangelism Impact

Inter-American Division

Adventist Church in Colombia Braces for Massive Evangelism Impact

Media proves to be a valuable tool for spreading the Gospel nationwide

Colombia | Laura Acosta

The South Colombian Union of Seventh-day Adventists has been preparing to reach thousands of people with the Gospel during a multi-city evangelism campaign in the coming months. Many evangelistic efforts are in full gear leading up to a special 25-city visit expected to see more than 10,000 new members join the church.

One of the comprehensive strategies to reach the masses in Bogotá, the nation’s capital, has been through two-minute capsules aired daily on City TV, a national television station. The capsules, which feature short stories or messages of hope, are produced by the church’s Hope Media Colombia in a program called A Better Way to Live, featuring Pastor Robert Costa, Adventist evangelist and speaker-director for the Spanish telecast of It is Written.

Pastor Robert Costa, Adventist evangelist and speaker of the “It is Written” television program, films a short message for television from Bogota, Colombia, as part of a series of messages of hope to be aired three times daily on City TV a national television network across the country. The initiative is part of a series of evangelistic efforts to reach millions of people in the urban city and throughout the country leading up to a 25-city evangelistic visit in November. [Photo: South Colombia Union]
Pastor Robert Costa, Adventist evangelist and speaker of the “It is Written” television program, films a short message for television from Bogota, Colombia, as part of a series of messages of hope to be aired three times daily on City TV a national television network across the country. The initiative is part of a series of evangelistic efforts to reach millions of people in the urban city and throughout the country leading up to a 25-city evangelistic visit in November. [Photo: South Colombia Union]

In each of the capsule messages, viewers are invited to share any questions, concerns, and/or prayer requests through a telephone number, church leaders said.

“This initiative not only reinforces the evangelistic message shared through the program but also is intended to show a genuine concern for the spiritual and emotional well-being of the audience,” said Pastor Henry Beltran, Communication director for the South Colombian Union.

Thousands who are looking for a deeper connection with God have already responded to this invitation, said Beltran. Pastors who are geographically close to them will offer spiritual support and provide biblical answers to their questions, he explained.

The television capsules, airing three times per day, have captivated so many throughout the union territory that recently, 120 messages were recorded throughout key points in southern Colombia that have begun airing as a second season of A Better Way to Live. The television initiative is paired up with other evangelism efforts taking place in collaboration with the church’s departments and ministries, leaders said.

Evangelist Robert Costa films encouraging messages to be aired on national television from Guatavita in southern Colombia. [Photo: South Colombia Union]
Evangelist Robert Costa films encouraging messages to be aired on national television from Guatavita in southern Colombia. [Photo: South Colombia Union]

“This is a great opportunity that the Adventist Church has right now,” said Beltran. “For more than 100 years in Colombia, the opportunity to access the media had never been given as such.”

In two days, the Hope Media Colombia team filmed the new season with Pastor Costa in Bogotá, Chia, Cajica, and Guatavita. “Colombia has beautiful places,” said Costa, who is also a ministerial associate of the General Conference. “It was so exciting to visit those places and convey a message from God’s heart.”

Production team from Hope Media Colombia film a series of television capsules from Chia, to be broadcast on national television three times daily in Colombia. [Photo: South Colombia Union]
Production team from Hope Media Colombia film a series of television capsules from Chia, to be broadcast on national television three times daily in Colombia. [Photo: South Colombia Union]

The immense opportunity to reach so many in Colombia with the Gospel is God-sent, said Costa. “We are part of the great prophecy given by our Lord Jesus Christ at this time,” he said. “Surely, the evangelistic impact through the media is like the air force in a battle.”

The church is ready to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of thousands of people, said Beltran. At the close of this year’s evangelism efforts, leaders are planning to host a spiritual celebration with 12,000 people at the G12 Events Center in Bogotá. The massive program will feature Pastor Costa, musical groups, and messages of faith, hope, and spiritual renewal.

To learn more about the South Colombian Union of Seventh-day Adventists, visit unioncolombianadelsur.org.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division website.